Postdoctoral studies in functions of liver innervation in development and disease (scholarship)

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research? 

The research team

A postdoctoral scholarship is available in the lab of Emma R Andersson. The Andersson lab is part of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at Karolinska Institutet, located in BioMedicum Solna campus.

The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB) is a department with a strong focus on basic science. CMB conducts research and education in cell biology, molecular biology, developmental biology, stem cell biology, cancer, and infection biology. CMB is located in Biomedicum, a new interdisciplinary research center designed to concentrate much of the experimental research conducted at Karolinska Institutet Campus Solna under one roof to promote collaboration. Biomedicum houses approximately 1,200 researchers and other personnel and allows expensive equipment to be shared and utilized more effectively.

Division

The Andersson Lab (www.anderssonlab.com) is dedicated to uncovering the mechanisms that guide organ systems to develop their correct cellular identities and architectures during embryogenesis. As developmental biologists, we explore why and how genetic mutations lead to specific defects during embryogenesis. Our research emphasizes innovation, as we design novel methods to analyze organ architecture and pioneering technologies to manipulate gene expression and embryonic development in mice (please see de Haan and He et al, Science 2025, or Hankeova et al eLife 2021). Our goal is to advance our understanding of fundamental developmental processes while contributing insights relevant to human health. The lab is supported by the European Research Council (ERC), Swedish Research Council, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the LEO Foundation, and NovoNordisk, among others. 

Duties

We are seeking a motivated postdoctoral researcher to join an innovative project deciphering the function of embryonic innervation during liver development. You will be part of a small team investigating the impact of denervation, and its relevance in human disease. The work entails experiments in mice (in utero perturbation, whole mount immunofluorescence, single cell RNA seq analysis, spatial transcriptomics analysis, metabolic assays), analysis of patient samples or previously published patient omics data, and of course literature synthesis. There will be ample opportunities to also develop own lines of enquiry within liver biology.

Entry requirements

We welcome applications from an ambitious candidate with a PhD in the field of hepatology, or liver developmental biology. Skills in the following areas are meritorious: embryonic liver analyses, metabolic assays, metabolomics, RNA omics, bioinformatics, mouse work (Felasa certification). However, we are well aware that a postdoc is also about learning and developing new skills, so we are primarily seeking a candidate that will fit the project well, without hard conditions on which skills should be pre-established. A strong and quick capacity to learn, and curiosity, are also meritorious. The applicant should have a high degree of independence and motivation, and also be willing to work in a team given the collaborative nature of the project.

Postdoctoral scholarships may be established for foreign researchers who pursue their merit in Sweden. A foreign researcher is a person living in another country who comes to Sweden with the intention of only staying in Sweden for all or part of their postdoctoral education at KI. Persons who are resident in Sweden and/or have carried out all or part of their academic education at KI or some other educational institution in Sweden cannot be considered for scholarships. The purpose of scholarships for postdoctoral qualification is to promote internationalization and contribute to research qualification after a doctorate or equivalent.

A scholarship for carrying out postdoctoral research can be granted for a maximum of two years within a four-year period following the receipt of a doctoral degree or equivalent.

To be eligible for a postdoctoral scholarship, the person must have obtained a doctorate, or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a doctorate. Applicants who have not completed a doctorate at the end of the application period may also apply, provided that all requirements for a completed degree are met before the (intended) start date of the post-doctoral education.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Here, we conduct innovative medical research and provide the largest range of biomedical education in Sweden. At KI, you get to meet researchers working with a wide range of specialisms and methods, giving you ample opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with the various scientific fields within medicine and health. It is the crossover collaborations, which have pushed KI to where it is today, at the forefront of global research. Several of the people you meet in healthcare are educated at KI. A close relationship with the health care providers is important for creating groundbreaking top quality education and research. Students and employees have free access to our modern gym facilities with trained staff on site.

Location:

Type of scholarship

The amount is tax free and it is set for twelve months at a time, paid out on a six months basis. In exceptional cases, shorter periods may be acceptable.

Application process

An application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

•  A complete curriculum vitae, including date of the thesis defence, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work.
• A complete list of publications.
• A cover letter with a brief description of research interests and what the candidate would like to investigate/develop as a project in the Andersson lab (focused on liver development, 1-2 pages). The description should explain why the candidate is interested in liver developmental biology, and which questions the candidate thinks are of interest to address in this postdoctoral position.  

The application is to be submitted on the Varbi recruitment system.

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